


Bouldering

by vendettadays



Series: First Aid [3]
Category: Tomb Raider & Related Fandoms, Tomb Raider (Video Game)
Genre: Friendship, Gen, No Angst, Pre-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-12
Updated: 2014-12-12
Packaged: 2018-03-01 05:40:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,014
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2761676
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vendettadays/pseuds/vendettadays
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It was a good thing that Sam went rock climbing with Lara every week, even if she did spend most of the night watching everyone else in the Rock Climbing Society climb than doing any actual climbing herself.<br/>(Pre Tomb Raider 2013)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Bouldering

Sam adjusted the harness around her waist and leant against the pile of mats, as she watched the Rock Climbing Society practise on the climbing wall in front of her. She propped her right foot on the mats behind, crossed her arms and pretended to look nonchalant as she watched Lara stretch her leg to an impossible angle to reach the next foothold. Lara made it look so easy and effortless, while the freshers struggled to pull their weight upwards. Then again, Sam was no better than the any of them.

Climbing and bouldering weren’t really Sam’s thing, but Lara had asked her to join in their first year, so that she didn’t have to go by herself. Sam wasn’t about to say no to a night of flexing arm muscles, tight glutes, and fine abs. But they were in their second year now and she was a regular member who went every week, even if she spent most of the time staring at everyone than climbing.

From her position at the back of the hall, she was able to appreciate Tom’s muscled shoulders, as he pulled himself up the wall and the tightening of Xia’s toned abs when she pushed up with her foot, so that she could reach a handhold. She had to admit that Lara looked particularly good in her shorts and a sweat-drenched tank top with her hair tied up in a ponytail. Sam would join them, but she quite enjoyed the view from where was.

It was because of where she was standing that she saw everything before anyone else. Sam launched into a run the moment she saw Lara’s foot slip and her fingers miss the handhold she was reaching for. Lara fell onto a lower slope with a loud cry and she grabbed onto a handhold to stop herself from sliding the rest of the way down.

By the time Sam had got to the climbing wall Lara had slowly eased her way down the last two metres to the padded floor. The Society President was by Lara’s side and had an arm around her waist. Lara shrugged David off as politely as she could and hobbled over, on her good leg, to Sam where she collapsed onto her shoulder.

‘I got her Prez, thanks!’ said Sam cheerily, her legs almost buckling under Lara’s weight. Poor guy, thought Sam as David ran off to get the Sport Centre’s first aider.

Lara’s skin was burning hot and wet with sweat, but it was her scrunched up expression that concerned Sam the most. She helped Lara to a bench and lowered her carefully down. Lara’s right thigh had taken the brunt of her fall and given the tears that pooled at the corner of her eyes, it must have been painful.

‘What did you say about bouldering being a good idea?’ teased Sam, as she ducked away from Lara’s half-hearted swipe at her head.

‘Maybe if you were a better belayer and didn’t ogle everyone, I would climb with a harness more often.’

‘You’re just jealous that the only ogling you get is from David and not from me.’ Lara blushed and tried to stoically ignore Sam’s smirk, but her cheeks flushed a darker shade of pink anyway.

Sam found Lara’s awkwardness at her playful flirting (or any flirting for that matter) endearing, but she took pity on her friend and changed the subject. ‘Are you okay? ‘Cause, ouch, that looks like it hurts pretty bad.’

‘You can tell me if it hurts the next time you fall ten feet through the air and land on a hold.’

‘Is that a yes, you’re okay? ‘Cause I don’t want to spend my night in A&E when I could be at home watching _Attack of the 50 Foot Woman_.’ Lara shook her head and groaned, but Sam saw the smile on Lara’s lip, undoubtedly remembering the last time they ended up at the hospital’s Accident  & Emergency department. That Halloween party would always be the most memorable one that Sam ever went to.

Sam waved towards to the other end of the hall, where a member of staff holding a large, green plastic box with a white-cross printed on it had come through the door, followed closely behind by the Society President. He waved back and jogged towards them with the Society’s tiny first-aid kit in one hand and a bottle of water in the other.

‘Why don’t you just tell the Prez that you’re not interested?’

‘I did last week.’ Lara sighed and sagged into Sam’s side. ‘He’s being nice, that’s all.’

Sam shrugged and rubbed Lara’s arms soothingly. The first aider knelt down by Lara’s leg and whistled at the sight of the bruise, which was blooming beautifully now, turning a dark purple on Lara’s normally pale skin. She felt Lara tense every time the first aider moved the injured leg, but it seemed like nothing was broken.

‘Everything looks like it’s working.’ The first aider handed a cold compress to Lara. ‘When you get home, keep your leg elevated and put a cold compress on it for 20 minutes every 3 to 4 hours.’

‘Thank you,’ replied Lara, hissing when she pressed the cold compress against her bruise.

‘I could take you to the hospital if you want a doctor to have a look at your leg?’ offered David. ‘I drove, so I mean, it’s no trouble at all.’

‘Um, David that’s nice of you –’

‘Thanks, Prez! But all Lara needs is a big bag of frozen peas from our freezer and she’ll be back to normal,’ interrupted Sam quickly.

‘Oh, okay, that’s no problem.’ David rubbed the back of his need and shuffled his feet. ‘Well, I guess I’ll see you next week.’

Sam grinned and said goodbye as David smiled at Lara and walked back to the climbing wall.

‘Thanks for that,’ murmured Lara, relaxing against Sam.

‘You know, he’d probably give us a lift home if you said that you couldn’t walk.’

For that Sam received a hard jab in the side from Lara’s elbow.

**Author's Note:**

> Sam does try to patch Lara up in this oneshot? Been a while since I've written something without any angst.


End file.
